Chapter 35

For the first time, Chase saw the article resulting from the incident at Piper’s house before she did.

It had him seeing red.

“I want to sue them,” Chase told his sister in the office before letting Piper know about it.

“I don’t think it’s that easy.”

“It can’t be that hard.”

Alex tossed the magazine on the desk. “It’s amazing the lies they make up and put in print.”

“I don’t want her to see this.” He turned around with his arms firmly crossed over his chest.

“She’s tough. I know you want to protect her, but she’s going to see this if she hasn’t already.”

“She’d tell me if she knew.”

“The real question is, who came up with this? These yahoos aren’t smart enough to spit out this big of a lie without someone whispering in their ear.”

Chase crossed the room, sat on the sofa. “My first thought was Melissa.”

“Yeah, but to serve what purpose? Jealousy? It’s not like Piper is driving around the woman’s car or living in her house. No. This feels more like a stir up trouble here kind of thing.”

“Something Melissa would do,” Chase said.

“If we’re distracted by this nonsense, it gives someone else here room to invade. Pretty common tactic with takeovers. In war and business.”

“Yeah, well, if I find out who is behind this, there’s going to be a war.”

Alex started toward the closed office door. “Let’s let Piper in on this before someone brings it to her desk.”

He knew his sister was right.

Alex poked her head out the door. “Piper, you have a minute?”

Piper walked in the office, and her smile instantly fell. “What’s going on?”

Kit nudged his way past Piper and into the center of the room before lying down.

“Have a seat, hon.”

She didn’t sit. “What is it?”

Chase stood to stand by her. “That reporter wrote his article.”

Piper’s shoulders slumped. Paused.

“Let’s see it.”

“It’s ugly,” Alex warned.

Piper put her hand out, and Alex retrieved the gossip magazine from her desk.

She slowly backed into a chair as she read. The caption alone was all anyone needed to see. Is Chase Stone Going to Raise His Father’s Baby?

Piper flipped through the pages of the article in complete silence.

Chase didn’t like it when she went quiet.

She finished reading and stared at nothing for several breaths.

Chase pulled her hand into his and squeezed.

“Who started this?” Piper cracked out in a shaky breath. “And why?”

Alex blew out a breath. “I think this is all a distraction. Something to make the board nervous, give them a reason to ask questions.”

“Who?” Piper asked again, her eyes kept looking at the article. “Melissa accused me of . . .”

Chase brought her hand to his lips. “This feels more like a corporate move than a jealous woman.”

“To what? Break us up? If you believed this, then . . . my baby is being used as a pawn.” Piper’s blank stare scared him.

“We’ll find who is spreading this. I promise,” Chase said.

“Melissa hates me. Gatlin hates me.”

“Gatlin?” Alex asked.

“He cornered me after that gala, told me never to talk to his wife again.”

Chase had to stop himself from squeezing Piper’s hand too hard. “What do you mean, cornered?”

“It was on the third floor after I met with the design people. He made sure I knew he wasn’t happy about my words at the dinner table.”

“Did he threaten you?” Alex asked.

She shook her head. “No. But I wouldn’t put it past him to be behind this. Try to get me out of here.”

Gatlin was gone. One way or another, the man was on his way out.

Piper tossed the magazine on the table and met Chase’s eyes, the light in hers dimmed. “I need to call my parents. They can’t find out this way.”

“Of course.” Chase wished he could shoulder the anguish of that call for her.

“They’re going to ask about the father.”

“Tell them it’s me.”

“Chase—”

Alex turned around. “I’m going to get some coffee.”

His sister left them alone and closed the door behind her.

Chase took both of Piper’s hands in his. “Tell them it’s me.”

“What if—”

“What if what?” Chase thought he knew what she was going to say, so he cut her off from the worry what-if questions and started in on the what is what-ifs. “What if we fall in love . . . oh, wait, that already happened. What if you move in with me . . . oh, wait, that is happening. What if I fall in love with the baby growing inside the woman I love? What if all that?”

“What if . . .”

Chase saw her holding in all the emotions, which was impressive considering how quickly she cried these days.

“What if I told you I’m keeping her? What if I told you I want to go shopping for a crib and pink booties and I want to find the perfect name? And . . . what if I lose you for wanting that?” Piper choked on her last words.

He kissed her hands and then held them close to his lips. “You are not going to lose me, Piper.”

“But—”

“Honey, what do you want me to do, get on one knee right now, without a ring or flowers or all the things you deserve?”

Her eyes opened wide, her questions stopped.

“Do you get it now? Do you understand?”

She nodded . . .

Cue the tears.

“Call your parents.”

“Okay.”

“Do you want me to stay?”

She shook her head. “I need to do this alone.”

He kissed her and stood.

Kit looked up, sighed, and lay back down.

At the door, Piper stopped him. “Chase?”

He turned.

“I love you.”

Chase found Alex pouring coffee and looking at the screen of her phone in the break room.

“Is she okay?” Alex asked quietly.

He nodded and started to smile. Piper’s words coming back to him. “She’s keeping the baby,” he whispered.

Alex placed her cup on the counter. “That’s the best news we’ve had all month.”

Chase was going to be a father, if Piper would let him.

Someone walked past the break room.

He and Alex stopped talking.

“If she’s right about Gatlin—”

“You don’t even have to say it,” Alex said, her voice low. “First, we find Max. Then we dive into Gatlin’s life, find out who he’s talking to. We can hire that private eye. We do this slowly and methodically.”

“If he—”

Alex placed a hand on his arm. “I’ll hold him while you take the swing.”

Damn, Chase loved his sister.

His heart couldn’t be fuller. “I need to find a jeweler.”

“What?”

He scowled. “I don’t know what Piper likes.”

“You’re serious.” Alex was whispering, too. “You sure you’re not rushing?”

Chase locked his sister down with a stare. “When the right man comes into your life, if he doesn’t love you as fiercely as I love Piper, I’ll personally run him out.”

Chase accepted his sister’s hug and told her exactly what he had in mind.

“Is Texas as hot as everyone says it is?” Piper asked while she finished packing her bag.

“Honey, it’s fall. Besides, I’m sure the Morrisons’ ranch has air-conditioning.”

Piper’s third trimester was coming in hot. Literally. She couldn’t wait for the warm California weather to shift.

Every month her body expanded to the point she thought she’d burst. And she wasn’t even done cooking yet.

Her parents wanted to meet Chase. And since they hated flying almost as much as they hated the thought of their daughter pregnant and unmarried, Chase suggested meeting them halfway. Gaylord extended an invitation along with his private plane to pick her parents up.

In addition to a weekend on a ranch and the meeting of the parents, Jack had an update on Max.

Piper zipped up her suitcase and dragged it off the bed and to the floor.

“Stop doing that.”

“Doing what?”

“Lifting heavy shit when I’m standing right here.”

Piper placed both hands on her baby belly and said, “Okay, can you take this off my hands?”

Chase dropped a kiss to her belly. “I’ll carry you the next nine months. I promise.”

They had a driver take them to the private terminal of the airport, where they met with Alex and Vivian. Kit bounced up the steps to the jet like he owned it. He eyed the bed for him on the floor, then jumped up on the couch.

Alex sat beside the dog and rested her hand on his head. “It’s hard to believe that less than a year ago, I didn’t even spring for business class on a domestic flight,” Alex said.

“Always remember that, honey,” Vivian told her daughter.

“How does this compare to Gaylord’s plane?” Piper asked.

“He has two, actually. One for those big family trips and another for cozy travel.”

Chase took a seat next to Piper. “Define cozy.”

“You know, smaller.”

“Does it have a bedroom?” Alex asked.

“Of course.”

“How cozy was that plane, Mom?” Alex teased.

Vivian’s blush gave her away.

Piper laughed. “Is there a new member to the mile-high club?”

Vivian narrowed her eyes, but her smile contradicted her scorned expression. “I guess I have three of you teasing me now.” It didn’t seem like the woman minded.

The flight to Texas was painless, the air outside the plane was a bit sticky when they landed.

And the Morrison Ranch was out of this world. They drove along the boundary of the property for what felt like miles before pulling through the arched sign over the driveway. There were gates and cameras and trees lining the driveway that led to the front door.

Stone, pillars, and wood.

Piper saw a pasture with horses and another farther away from the house with long-horned cattle. It was exactly what she expected a Texas gazillionaire to own.

Gaylord stood on the porch with a couple at his side. “Is that Jack?”

“And his wife, Jessie,” Vivian added.

“Exactly how many times have you been here, Mom?” Chase asked.

“A few more than it’s none of your concern.”

Piper laughed at the scowl on Chase’s face.

Their driver dealt with their luggage as they made their way to their hosts.

Gaylord instantly slid his hand around Vivian’s waist and kissed her.

“That puts an exclamation point on all of our assumptions,” Piper whispered to Chase.

Hearty handshakes and introductions were made.

“You have a beautiful home,” Piper said once they walked inside.

“Thank you, little mama. We have a rib roast and brisket smoking on the grill, and a slew of cooks making sure everyone is fed. If you’re anything like Jessie, who could eat an entire steer by herself when she was pregnant, we have you covered.”

“Thanks for throwing me under the bus, Dad,” Jessie said to her father-in-law.

“We thought she was having triplets at one point,” Jack added.

Jessie pushed her husband’s arm and shook her head. “It wasn’t that bad.”

Gaylord cleared his throat.

“Your parents should be here in a couple of hours, Piper. Give you a chance to rest before they get here,” Jessie said.

Piper didn’t think resting was in the cards, she was much too nervous for this meeting for any of that. “The only thing I need right now is a bathroom. She uses my bladder as a trampoline.”

“Oh, don’t I remember that. Follow me. I’ll show you your room.”

Piper told Kit to stay with Chase before following Jessie.

“How was your flight?” Jessie asked as they walked up the stairs.

“It’s a private plane, how hard could it be?”

Jessie laughed. “I remember thinking the same thing when Jack showed up in my life. I was a waitress when we met. I didn’t go anywhere.”

“It doesn’t suck.”

“No, it doesn’t.” They stepped into a guest room, where Piper and Chase’s luggage already waited for them. “Here you go.”

“When you’re ready to join us, follow your nose. Gaylord has to feed people the minute they arrive.”

Piper smiled. “I knew I liked that man.”

Alone, Piper used the restroom and took a few minutes for herself.

An overstuffed chair with an ottoman sat in front of a huge window overlooking the Morrison land.

Meeting her parents here was the right move. Their dislike for big cities and masses of people would have complicated this event. Piper closed her eyes and leaned her head back. She ran through what she thought was going to happen when they arrived. Her mother would try and get her alone so she could talk, and her father would pull Chase aside and give him hell.

Chase could handle it. Or so he kept telling her. Not that their opinions truly mattered. Piper had come to the realization that seeking her parents’ approval at the age of thirty was an absolute waste of time.

Piper rested her hand on her baby and chastised herself for letting that desire for their approval take away from her first few months of pregnancy. And in fact, almost caused her to give up her baby, just to avoid the shame of their disapproval. Never again. This was her life, and if they gave her or Chase any trouble, she intended to remind them of that.